WTF Art History

Bizarre

Dante and Virgil in Bouguereau’s Hell

Established by the Academy, the hierarchy of genres and subjects was essential for almost every graduate of École des Beaux-Arts. Throughout the...

Christopher Michaut 9 March 2024

Paintings of Satan. Utagawa Kuniyoshi, Ghosts, Devils, and The King of Hell, 1850. Woodblock print. The British Museum, London, UK. Bizarre

5 Paintings of Satan You Haven’t Seen Before

Paintings of Satan are a recurrent theme in art, ranging from religious portrayals to contemporary interpretations. As the symbolic representation of...

Errika Gerakiti 9 March 2024

Masterpiece Stories

George Rodrigue and His Blue Dogs

Hailing from New Iberia, Louisiana, George Rodrigue gained international acclaim for painting blue dogs—his favorite subject, as well as something...

Zuzanna Stańska 4 March 2024

Alexandre Cabanel, Cleopatra, 1887, Royal Museum of Fine Arts, Antwerp, Belgium. Detail. Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Cleopatra by Alexandre Cabanel

Queen Cleopatra is a popular subject today – as she was in the late 19th century. Alexandre Cabanel’s Cleopatra explores a single moment of her...

James W Singer 3 March 2024

WTF Art History

5 Weird Portraits from Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna

The Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, one of the foremost museums in the world, owns rich holdings comprising artworks from seven millennia –...

Zuzanna Stańska 29 February 2024

Bizarre

The Curious Lure and Strange Beauty of Ancient Anatomical Votives

Eerie, mysterious, and fascinating, ancient anatomical votives represent literal parts of people’s past. When most people think of a votive object,...

Marga Patterson 29 February 2024

Bizarre

The Weirdest Thing You Will See Today: A Toilet as a Work of Art

A joke, a provocation, or an attempt to attract your attention? Maybe none of these or maybe all of them. Here are three of the most renowned toilets...

Caroline Galambosova 29 February 2024

John William Waterhouse, The Soul of the Rose, 1908. Wikimedia Commons (public domain). Detail. Art State of Mind

Viva Floralia! All Flowers in Art

The Floralia festival was celebrated in Ancient Rome in honor of the goddess Flora. Because there is nothing more beautiful than flowers and,...

Andra Patricia Ritisan 28 February 2024

Painting

10 Most Beautiful Artistic Flower Arrangements for Spring

For some of us, Winter this year has passed rather quickly; for others, it was way too long. Finally, Spring is beginning to be in full bloom: it has...

Errika Gerakiti 28 February 2024

Art State of Mind

Language of Flowers: Hidden Messages in Flora

Nowadays we have social media, emails, and telephone calls. But a century ago, it was not quite as easy to get a message or love note across to...

Rachel Witte 28 February 2024

Art State of Mind

Moondance – Full Moon in Painting

Have you ever seen a full moon? Let’s take a look at some wonderful artists who have featured our celestial companion in a variety of settings...

Candy Bedworth 27 February 2024

Art State of Mind

You Don’t Have to Look Up to See the Stars: Astronomical Planispheres

For hundreds of years the sky has been the center of attention for many ancient tribes and cultures. Our history has been a testament to the stars.

Sofia Rodriguez Cuevas 27 February 2024